Gaming benefits provided in association with accumulated advertising loyalty points

Abstract

Systems and methods that employ advertising loyalty points to modify zero, one or more aspects of an electronic gaming machine.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A gaming system comprising:
 a display device; 
 a processor; and 
 a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event, cause the processor to:
 responsive to an identified user being associated with a first advertising loyalty point level at least partially based on a first quantity of advertisements consumed, prior to a play of a game, remote from the display device and independent of any content generated by the processor, cause the display device to display a first operational modification associated with the play of the game, wherein the first quantity of advertisements are consumed after the user has logged into an advertisement tracking account maintained by an advertisement tracking server that is distinct from the processor, and 
 responsive to the identified user being associated with a second, different advertising loyalty point level at least partially based on a second quantity of advertisements consumed, prior to the play of the game, remote from the display device and independent of any content generated by the processor, cause the display device to display a second, different operational modification associated with the play of the game, wherein the second quantity of advertisements are consumed after the user has logged into the advertisement tracking account maintained by the advertisement tracking server. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the occurrence of the triggering event is based on a redemption, via an input device, of a quantity of advertising loyalty points accumulated in association with the identified user. 
     
     
       3. The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational modification comprises a first increase of an average expected payout of a paytable associated with the play of the game and the second, different operational modification comprises a second, different increase of the average expected payout of the paytable associated with the play of the game. 
     
     
       4. The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational modification comprises a first increase of a probability of triggering a bonus event in association with the play of the game and the second, different operational modification comprises a second, different increase of a probability of triggering the bonus event in association with the play of the game. 
     
     
       5. The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the first quantity of advertisements consumed equals the second quantity of advertisements consumed. 
     
     
       6. A gaming system comprising:
 a display device; 
 a processor; and 
 a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event, cause the processor to:
 responsive to an advertising loyalty point level associated with an identified user being a first advertising loyalty point level, and a quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points associated with the identified user being a first quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points, cause the display device to display a first benefit, wherein the quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points associated with the identified user is at least partially based on a first quantity of advertisements consumed, prior to the occurrence of the triggering event and after the user has logged into an advertisement tracking account maintained by an advertisement tracking server that is distinct from the processor, remote from the display device and independent of any content generated by the processor, 
 responsive to the advertising loyalty point level associated with the identified user being the first advertising loyalty point level, and the quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points associated with the identified user being a second, different quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points, cause the display device to display a second, different benefit, and 
 responsive to the advertising loyalty point level associated with the identified user being a second, different advertising loyalty point level, and the quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points associated with the identified user being the first quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points, cause the display device to display the second, different benefit. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein the triggering event comprises a win of a progressive award, the first benefit comprises a first additional award based on a first percentage of the progressive award and the second benefit comprises a second, different additional award based on a second, different percentage of the progressive award. 
     
     
       8. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein the triggering event comprises an initiation of a sequence including a quantity of plays of a game, the first benefit comprises a first additional quantity of plays of the game of the initiated sequence and the second benefit comprises a second, different additional quantity of plays of the game of the initiated sequence. 
     
     
       9. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein the triggering event comprises a play of a game, the first benefit comprises a first modification of an average expected payout of a paytable associated with the play of the game and the second benefit comprises a second, different modification of the average expected payout of the paytable associated with the play of the game. 
     
     
       10. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein the quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points is distinct from any credits, distinct from any promotional credits, and distinct from any player tracking points. 
     
     
       11. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein when executed by the processor after the occurrence of the triggering event, the instructions cause the processor to cause the display device to display a reduction of the quantity of accumulated advertising loyalty points associated with the identified user. 
     
     
       12. The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein the first quantity of advertisements consumed equals the second quantity of advertisements consumed.